Where to P lace YOUR COFFEE TABLE

Not sure where to put the coffee table in the living room? Here are some tips.

• SOFA PROXIMITY.

The whole purpose of the coffee table is to have someplace to put hot drinks and other small item you want to access as you sit on the sofa. Make sure you can reach the coffee table from every spot on the sofa—and if you can’t, either go for a larger coffee table, or add an extra side table along the edges of the sofa or sectional.

• WALKING ROOM.

While keeping the coffee table near the sofa, make sure you still have room to walk next to it. You don’t want your guests to have difficulty getting to a spot on the sofa because the coffee table is right up against it. 14-18 inches from the sofa is a good place to start.

• THROUGH TRAFFIC.

If the middle of your living room is the path to and from other rooms in the house, don’t put a coffee table right in that walking path. For small or narrow living rooms, you may have to go with a smaller coffee table or ottoman. Alternatively, you could swap the coffee table for side tables in order to keep that traffic area clear.